Portable house.



N. l. MACDONALD.

PORIABLE HOUSE.

APPLICATION man JULY 28A 1916.

Pateted Mar,` 18,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l A l for 0,1/3

ma wams Farm; ce.. namur/vow. wumumau. :A c.

N. J. MACDONALD.

FURTAABLE HOUSE. APPLICATION man wu 28.1916.

Patented-Mar. 18,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES w INVENTGR N. I. MAC'DONALU POBIABLE HOUSE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28.1916.

' Patented Mar. 18,1919.

W'NESSES INVENTOR NORMAN TOI-IN MACDONALD, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA,CANADA.

PORTABLE HOUSE.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, NORMAN JOHN MAO- DONALD, of the city of lVinnipeg,in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Portable Houses, of which the following is thespecification.

The invention relates to improvements in portable houses and theprincipal object of the invention is to provide a sectional portalblehouse which has the sections thereof reversible and for the greaterpart' interchangeable, thereby not only allowing of the quick and easyassembly of the house but also of the compact stacking of the same whendisjointed and further which allows of the enlarging of the house in aninexpensive and simple manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide astrongly reinforcedportable house having no interior supports from the floor nor outsidestays and also one wherein by the interchanging of the Sections anydesired arrangement of netting or canvas can be had.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable housesupplied with combination shutter awnings which can be manipulated fromthe interior of the house and used as awnings when opened or shutterswhen closed as desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a portable househaving a canvas roo-f which can be quickly and easily applied thereonand which. when once applied, cannot be lifted oit by the wind.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a knockdown floorfor the house which can be readily put together or taken apart asdesired and is arranged such that it can be conveniently stored andwhich is constructed so that when set up it is tightly jointed andpresents an attractive appearance.

With the above objects in view the invention consists essentially in thearrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularlydescribed and later pointed out in the appended claims, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several igures.

Figure l 'represents a side view of the erected house. parts being tornaway to eX- pose construction.

Fig. 2 represents an. end view of the house! Specication of LettersPatent.

Application led July 28, 19516.

- rammed Mar. is, 1919.

Serial No. 111,928.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical cross sectional view through the house.

Fig. 4l: represents an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view throughone side of the house at the roof, the section being taken in the planedenoted by the line X-X Fig. l

and looking in the direction indicated by the -view of one of the roofposts `showing the dowel pins at the ends of the post.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the end posts of the roof, aportion of the ridge pole and a portionl of one of the end stretchers.

Fig. 10 represents a perspective view of a portion of one of the roofpoles, a portion of the attached end stretcher and a portion of one ofthe applied peak bars.

Fig. 1l is a perspective view of one of the slides.

Fig. l2 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view through thefloor, lthe section being taken at the point where the section fasteningbolt passes through the floor.

Fig. l3 represents a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 12,the section being taken toward the end ofthe house and looking towardthe corner post.

Fig. 14 represents one of the corners of the floor with the membersdisjointed.

Referring now to the drawings The floor of the house is indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 1 and comprises a substantiallyrectangular frame, floor joists and floor boards arranged andconstructed in detail as now describe-d.

The floor frame embodies side members 2 and I3 and end members 4 and 5all of which are actually constructed from body strips 6 fitted at theupper and lower sides with top andA bottoni strips 7 and 8. The inneredges the frame.

of these latter` strips extend beyond `the body v. fastened together atthe corners and prostrips and form in each instance a channel asindicated a1; 9. The parts forming these members are nailed or otherwisefastened together and they are arranged at the ends so that they can bejointed together in a special way and releasably fastened. Theparticular type of joint made at the corners between the side and endmembers is best shown in F ig. 14 of the drawings whereit will beobserved that the body strip of the end member projects, as shown at 6',beyond the top and'bottom strips and is arranged so that'it can beinserted between the projecting ends lyand 8 of the top and bottomstrips of the side member. The projected portions of the side and e-ndmembers' are supplied with registering openings 10 to receive a bolt orfastening pin, as the case ma fbe.

"in'opening 11 is reserved in one of the side members, this beingactually formed by cutting away the body strip of said'member andthrough thisvopening I insert the floor boards 12, which are all of anequal length, and are adapted such that their ends will lie within thechannels of the opposing side members of the Hoor frame.

The floor frame is carried by similar spacedfloor' joists 13 which havetheir ends notched or rabbeted away as shown at 18 to receive the lowerstrips 8 of the side membersA` of the frame, the arrangement being suchthat the'upper faces of the joists lie flush with the upper faces of thestrips 8.

' As will be observed the floor boards lie at right` engles to thejoists so' that they joists forma good support for the body of thefloor.v The ends of the joists are fastened to the floor frame byreleasable bolts'la which pass through suitable openings 15 provided atproper intervals in the end members of Oncethe Hoor frame hasbeen set upon the joists one can readily put the floor boards in position byentering them. endon through the opening 1'1 and passing them sidewisein the channels until the frame is filled. It is desirable prior toinserting the last floor board to taper one end of it so that it can bedriven'in to its final position. This will insure the tight closure ofthe cracks in the floor. V

' After-the floor has been laid, filling strips 16 are inserted in thechannels between the fioor andthe top strips 7 of the frame.

` On the floorI erect the body of the house embodying sideV and endwalls. These walls are'formed from similar interchangeable andreversible sections arranged tov butt together and be fastened bv boltsas laterdescribed. 'l V The principal wall sections are formed from'Vsubstantially rectangular wooden frames 17, constructed from side pieces18 .and 19 Vand end pieces 2() andv 21 permanently vided'more or lesscentrally of Vtheir length with intervenin cross pieces 22. In actualpractice these frames are preferably four feet long by two feet wide.

The lower wall sections are covered With a canvas covering 23 and theupper sections with `an open wire mesh screen 24:, the screens andcoverings being fastened to the sections by applying fastening stripsV25 which are nailed to the frames through the stretched screen andcanvas.

IV have stat-ed principal sections in the above description forthereason that in completingahouse such as the one' shown which is eightfeet wide by 10 feet long, (this corresponding'to the overall dimensionsof the floor),'it is necessary to 'provide filling in sections of onehalf the size of the principal sections, these filling lin sectionsvbeing constructed from connected'side and end pieces similar to theprincipal 'sect-ions and kbeing closed by glass asshownv at 26A so thatthey are actually window sections. Associated with the sections I supplygirts or reinforcing strips 27 whichare placedY between -the uppersections of the walls and the intermediate sections; Y

To understand just 'how the body of this particular houseV is puttogetherI may ex- Yplainthat seven principal sections anda filling in7orwindow' section are takenA to makeeach of the side walls together witha girt, while six principal sections and af girt are utilized to formoneof'the end walls and four principal section-sita .windowsection and agirt are'utilized to formk the other of the' end walls, this'latter wallhaving the entrance door therein. The sections so taken are all boltedtogether atthe ends and sides as shown at 28 and k29 the side or'vertical bolts'of the top sectionsofV the Wallspassing through thegirts 27 which, it will be'understood, pass aroundthe hou-sein aVlocation between the uppermost Vwall sections and those immediatelybelow.

In connection with thesegirts it Will be noticed that they areconsiderably wider than' themembers forming vthe sections so that theyproject both tothe outside and to the inside lof the walls and furtherthat one of the end girtshas to bereut to allow of the insertion of thedoor as later described.

'The walls are connected at the corners to c vertically disposed cornerposts 30 which corner posts pass the full' helghtofthe sections andarefitted' at their lower endswith extending dowel pins 31, these pinsbeing adapted to enter theregistering openings 10 at the Vcorners of thefloor frame andY connect the side and end members ofthe floor frame. Themanner in which the ends ofthe walls are fastened to these' corner'posts' is noW1de scribed. -ff The cornerf'p'osts are recessed-'asiidicated :at at suitable intervals and in each recess I insert the head33 ofl a. cornerv bolt 33, the head being retained within the recess byapplying a, fastening plate 3st. The pros jecting end of the bolt isprovided with a nut: 35 and the bolt is utilized to fasten the endfmembers ofthe wallv sections to the post..

The door is formed from a lower principal` section 36 and an upperfilliin section 37, both canvas covered' as shown. at 38 and these twosections are fastened by suitable bolts 39' to upright backing strips40- and 41 between the ends of which Il insert cross strips d2'. Thedoor, so formed, is swung by suitable hinges 43 froml an uprightsupporting strip 4A and closes in against a second upright strip 45,these two latter strips being secured to the adjacent wall sections.Jamb strips 16 are supplied on the strips 4i and 45 for the door toclose against.

Thel screened walll sections of the house arefitted with combinationawning' and shutter frames which are rectangular, being formed from sidemembers 47 and 48 con neeted by end membersy 49 and intervening crossmembers 50. These combination frames are covered with canvas as shown at51 and are hinged at 52 to the side members 18 of the wall sections.When closed down these combination shutter and awning frames completelyclose over the wall sections and have their lower ed-ges closing inagainst the girt's 27 as best shown in Figs. l and 5 of the dra-wings.

In order to allow one to adjust the combination shutter and awningframes from the interior of the house I have provided notched levers 53having pivoted extensions 5i which pass through slots 22 formed in thecross members 22 of the wall frames and have their outer ends fastened,such as by means of staples 56, to the cross members` 50, of thecombination awning and shutter frames.

. Catch plates 57 are supplied on the wall fra-mes so that when thelevers are pulled down and' pushed through the slots 22 the notches canbe caught on the plate to hold the combination frame in a fiXed adjustedposition.

Channel strips 58 are permanently secured to the wall sections at thepoints where the Vextensions pass through and these strips carry slottedslides 59, the slots of which receive the extensions. These slides makeit possible to maintain a close iitting joint all times to the exclusionof insects and les.

When the combination frames are closed in the levers are preferablyswung upwardly as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, their upper end-spassing into a notch 60 supplied in the roof structure.

llhe i'oofis a canvas one stretchedv over a ridge pole and end andcenter gables, the complete arrangement being as nowk described.

On the upper edges ofthe side and end walls of the house I mount sideand end substantially Z-shaped wall yplates 61, all of which areidentical in construction' and are formed from body pieces 62 andpermanently applied top and bottom strips 63 and 6i the to-p stripsoverhanging the outersides of the body strips, while the bottom stripshave their inner edges extending' to the inner sides of the body strips.

These wallv plates are jointed at the Acorners in substantially the samemanner as the side and end members of the fioor frame and they arebolted at suitable intervals and as indicated at 65 to the upper members18 of the top ,wall section. On the end wall plates I mount directly theend gables and on the side wall plates I mount the ends of a centergable which gables are all' constructed from triangular sections 66,each gable section being actually the half of' one of the principal.ywall sections and being formed? from a side member 67, an end member 68and an inclined connected member 69. The-center gable is an open onewhile the end' gables have the acute corners thereof closed with canvas,as shown at 7'() (see Fig. i), and the remaining portions thereofcovered over avith the wirerscreen 71. l

The screened part of each section is closed b v a canvas covered flap 72fastened to the gable section by spring hinges 73, these hinges holding`the iiap normally closed but allowing it to be opened at will.v Anysuitable means. such as a pulling rope, can be used for opening` theflaps. Between the gable sections, when set up. I locate in eachinstance, a roofY post 7i which i's'bolted to the gable sections and isprovided at the ends ,with dowel pins 75, the lower dowel pins of theend roof posts being seated in suitable holes provided in the end wallplates. while the lower dowel pin of the cen` tral roof post extendsinto a suitable hoie provided in a cross strip 76 boltedl to the centralgabl'es and having the ends thereof resting on the side `wall plates TheUpper ends of the roof' posts terminate short of the peaks ofthe gablesections, t0 allow of the insertion of a ridge pole 77, nvhich ridgepole receives the projecting ends of the top dowel pins, extends beyondthe end gables and has the upper face -thereof beveled off to make itHush with the gable sections.

7 8 represents a canvas roof which canvas roof is stretched over theridge pole and has the edges thereof permanently fastened asindicated at7 8 to roof poles 79 and 7 9 located at the sides of the side roofrails. i

These roof poles project beyond the ends of the canvas andv are arrangedtov lie non mally, directly underneathv the outwardly overhangingportions of the sidewall plates. They are connected at the ends of thehouse by end stretchers 8O and Sl which are fastened to the roof polesby means of straps 82, these straps being fastened to the ends of thestretchers and being arranged that they just nicely allofW of theentrance of the end of the roof poles. .Centrally yto the stretchers Isecure, such as by bolts 83, end posts 84 which project upwardly beyondthe ends of the ridge pole to which they are fastened by hinges 85.

The ends of the roof poles are provided with extending threaded endstuds 86 on Which I mount the outer ends of inclined channel shaped peakrails 87 and 88, the

"upper ends of which meet on theend posts directly opposite the ends ofthe ridge pole ,Where they are fastened by bolts 89.

The channels of these peak rails are turned inwardly and they areprovided with eyes 90.

The ends of the `canvas roof are laced as indicated at 91 to the eyes,this arrangement allowing me to stretch the canvas in an easy andeiicient manner endwise.

When the canvas roof is to be put on the otherwise erected house it isspread over the ridge pole and the end stretchers are applied initiallyon one of the roof poles and the free ends thereof are then raised upuntil the straps can be slipped over the ends of the other roof pole.this of course taking place before the peak bars are put in position. Aftenvvard one applies the peak bars and then laces the ends of thecanvas roof to them to stretch the roof properly.

From the above description it can be readily seen that this house can beput up or taken down very quickly and that it can be made comparativelylight as the sections when bolted together reinforce one another. Whilethe girts, Wall plates, iioor frame and corner posts give rigidity tothe walls.

Further it Will be observed that owing to the sections being in allcases either full or half sections they can be easily and convenientlystored and further, owing to the regularity of the sections they 'can beinterchanged in their several places, that is to say, the principalsections are interchangeable as are also the ll-in and gable sections.

When the house is taken dovvn ovving to the regularity of itsconstruction it can'be readily crated if desired to transport it fromplace to place.

While I have described certain sections as canvas covered. While othersare screen I Wish it to be understood that these can be varied at Willto suit the requirements of the individual and While one door has beenshown, a number of doors can be put inl if Wanted.

What I claim as my invention is Il. In a portable house the combinationwith side and end; jwalls, of aroof structure embodying -Wall platesdetachably secured to the tops of the side and end Walls,said Wallplates presenting voverhanging top strips, a ridge pole located at thepeaks of the gables, a covering applied over the ridge pole and thegables, roof poles secured to the sides of the covering and locatednormally underneath the overhanging portions of the side Wall plates andmeans forretaining the roof poles in position .beneath the top strips ofthe side Wall plates.

2. In a portable house` the combination with side and end Walls, of aroof structure embodying Wall plates detachably secured to the tops ofthe side and end Walls, `said Wall platesY presenting overhanging topstrips, a ridge pole located at the peaks of the gables, a coveringapplied over the ridge pole and the gables, roof poles secured to thesides of the covering and locatednormally underneath theoverhanging'portions of the side Wall plates andV .stretchers'connectingthe projected ends of the roof poles.

3. In a portable house the combination with side and end walls, of aroof structure embodying Wallv plates detachablyv secured.

to the tops of the side and end Walls, said Wall plates presentingoverhanging top strips, a ridge pole located at the peaks of the gables,a covering applied over the ridge pole and the gables, roof polessecured'to the sides of the covering and'located normally underneath theoverhanging portions of the side wall plates, stretchers interposedbetween the projected ends of the roof poles and straps carried by theends of the stretchers and receiving the projected ends of the roofpoles.

fl. In a portable house the combination with side and end Wallsof a.roof structure embodying Wall plates detachably secured to the tops ofthe side and end Walls, said Wall plates presenting overhanging topstrips, a ridge pole located at the peaks of the gables, a coveringapplied over the ridge pole and the gables, roof poles secured to thesides of the covering and located normally underneath the overhangingportions of the side Wall plates, stretchers connecting the projectedends of the roof poles, peak rails extending between the projected endsYof the roof poles `and the ridge'pole anda lacing connecting the peakrails With the ends of the covering.

5. In a portable house the combination with side and end Walls, of aroof structure embodying Wall plates detachably secured to the tops ofthe side and end Walls, said Wall plates presenting overhanging topstrips, a ridge pole located at the peaks of the gables, a coveringapplied over the lridge pole and the gables,I roof poles secured to,lthe sides of the covering and located normally underneath theoverhanging portions of the side Wall plates, stretchers connecting` theprojected ends loftheroof poles, end, posts detacha-hiy securedcentrally to the stretchers Signed at Winnipeg7 this 7th day of July andhaving the upper portions thereof con- 1916.

nected to the projected ends of the ridge pole, peak rails detachablesecured to the NORMAN JOHN MACDONALD' projected ends of the roof polesand to the In the presence ofend posts and a lacin connecting the endsG. S. ROXBURGH,

of the covering With t e peak rails. ROLAND FOSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

